Detachable caster for metal bedsteads.



H. A. PALMER. DBTAGHABLE GASTBR POR METAL BEDSTEADS.

-.APPLICATION FILED JAN.28, 1909.

Patented Apr. 13, '1909.

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UNTTED STATES PATENT OEETCE.

HARRY A. PALMER, Ol" MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO FOSTER, MERRIAM AND COMPANY, OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

DETACHABLE CASTER FOB, METAL BEDSTEADS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 28, 1909.

Patented April 13, 1909. Serial No. 474,698.

To all ll2/wm it Imay concern:

Be it known that l, Hanni' A. PALMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Meriden, county of New Haven, State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Detachable Caster for Metal Bedsteads, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a detachable caster for inetal bedsteads which shall be simple and inexpensive to produce, practically indestructible ano which will turn freely in use. lt has been a serious objection to casters of this type heretofore produced and especially to sheet nietal casters that they quickly twist out of shape so that the pintles will not turn in the sockets and the casters are thus renderedlworse than useless as they tear carpets and rugs and ruin hardwood floors.

My present invention enables me to produce a relatively high grade caster at avery low price, that will remain firmly in place in the leg, will stand up for practically an unlimited length of time under the roughest kind of hard usage and will still turn freely and not injure carpets, rugs or hardwood floors.

Vr'ith these and other objects in view l have devised the simple and novel caster which l will now describe, referring to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and using reference characters to indicate the several parts:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the lower end of the leg oi' a rectal bedstead and iny novel caster, showing the caster in place as in use Fig. 2 a transverse section on the line 2w2 in Fig. 1, looking down, and Fig. 3 is an elevation of the socket detached.

l() denotes the leg of a metal bedstead which is simply a metal tube, 11 the pintle of my lnovel caster, 12 the horn and 13 the material wood, glass or nietal, or metal covered with felt or rubber. The horn is of ordinary construction and may be made either of sheet metal or cast. The pintle is provided near its lower end with a bearing head 14. Below the bearing head is a stud 15 which passes through a strengthening washer 16 and through the horn between the arms thereof and is headed down against the horn as at 17, the horn and washer being tightly locked between the heading and the bearing head.

18 denotes the socket as a whole which is cast in a single'piece and Vcomprises a disk 19 which corresponds4 in diameter with theekternal diameter of the leg so as to forni a iinish for the lower end of the leg, a body 20 risingfroin the center of the disk and having a longitudinal hole 23 through it wliicli is preferably forined by meansv of a chill core, and a plurality of radially extending wings 26, three in the present instance, which engage the inner wall of the leg with a drive fit and in practice cut slight grooves in the leg so as to inake the socket rigidly self-retaining therein. ln practice, the edges of the wings are made to taper toward the body slightly from bottom to top to adapt thein to slight variations in the internal diameter of the leg. The wings are likewise made of slightly diminishing thickness from bottom to top and the body is made to taperslightly inward from bottom to top so as to permit the sockets to be readily drawn from the -sand in casting. The entire weight is supported in use by the bearing head upon which the lower end of the socket rests. At the upper and lower ends of the pintle are bearings indicated respectively by 21 and 22 which engage the longitudinal hole in the body closely so as to revent unnecessary looseness of the pint e but turn freely therein. Between the bearings the diameter of the pintle is reduced as at 24.

25 denotes an outwardly acting spring sleeve which is carried by the pintle between the bearings and engages the wall of hole 23 closely to detachably retain the pintle in lace. P In putting the caster together, the pintlc is attached to the horn, as already described, and the s ring sleeve is put in )lace on the pintle. Tie caster is then ready for shipi ment or use. wheel. rThe wheel may be of any suitable" The operation will be obvious from the drawing. The socket is driven into the body i until the disk engages the lower end of the body, as shown, the wings cutting slight grooves in the leg thereby making the socket self-retaining in place. The pintle is simply pressed into place in the longitudinal hole in the socket, the spring sleeve tting closely in the socket and retaining the pintle, horn and wheel securely in place but permitting their ready removal by suliicient outward pull to overcome the friction of the spring sleeve on the wall of the hole in the body of the socket.

Having thus described my invention l claim:

1. A caster comprising a socket adapted to be driven into a metal leg and consisting of a body having a longitudinal hole, Wings to engage the leg and a disk Which corresponds With the external diameter of the leg, a pintle having upper and lower bearings engaging the hole in the socket but turning freely therein and intermediate said bearings a reduced ortion and an outwardly-acting sleeve on sai reduced portion adapted to engage the hole in the body to detachably retain the pintle in place.

2. A caster socket consisting of a tapering body having a longitudinal'hole, a bottom disk adapted to engage a metal leg and radial Wings of diminishing thickness from bottom to top and the edges of Which taper toward the end of a metal leg and radial Wings adapted to engage the inner Wall of a leg, a pintle having upper and lower bearings engaging the hole in the socket and intermediate said bearings an outwardly acting spring sleeve adapted to engage the hole in the body f.

and cut grooves therein, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof l aiiiX my signature,

in presence of two Witnesses.

HARRY A. PALMER.

Vfitnesses:

Gno. A. CoNNERs, CnAs. S. WILooX. 

